Officials have identified the suspect fatally shot by a South Metro SWAT officer during an hourslong standoff last month as a 42-year-old St. Paul man.
The incident occurred on Aug. 28 when St. Paul police and West St. Paul police attempted to arrest Jerry Va Thao, who was wanted on multiple felony warrants and suspected of violating an order for protection at a home on the 1200 block of Ottawa Avenue in West St. Paul.
The Minnesota Bureau of Criminal Apprehension in its preliminary report says a standoff ensued, sparking a shelter-in-place order in the surrounding area.
Negotiators made limited contact with Thao, who then allegedly began firing at officers, striking a ballistic shield and a SWAT vehicle. Officers continued to attempt to communicate with the suspect and fired chemical i